The Purpose Of Finding Love

Coffee, Muffins and assignments

Julie leaned her face on her palm as she listened to the lecture. She is least interested to be a part of this lecture but she has to be present for attendance.

"You can use charcoal or pencils but the end portrait has to be black and white. Don't use the colours, I'm telling you before. I will not accept your work if I find any colours."

Everyone agreed to what Ms Goodlings said. Julie tapped her pencil on her thigh as she thought about her assignment. She needs to start the charcoal assignment soon as she takes a lot of time to finish it.

She is not good at charcoal, she always finds it difficult while she mastered the oil paints, acrylic paints and pencils. She has no idea of what she is going to do but tonight she will think about it and start working on it from tomorrow.

"I hope I'm clear, any doubts please ask before the class ends," Ms Goodlings spoke.

"When is the submission date?" Oslo asked.

"Submission is on 25th, no extensions this time. I will not accept the work and assignment if you guys don't submit it on time."

Julie turned her head when she left a slight kick to her chair. She watched as Silas held his girlfriend Ada close to him and he is smiling at her. Julie looked at Silas foot that is resting on Julie's chair.

Julie shook her head turning around. "Why the f**k he has to sit behind my chair," she muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something?" Rio who is sitting beside Julie asked.

"Nope, not for you to hear." Rio nodded his head before looking away.

They have changed their seats, Rio dared and took the seat beside Julie but he barely makes a conversation. He understood that when Julie is in class, she hardly makes conversations. But when she is out and at parties, she is a completely different person.

The class went on, Julie worked on her basics. She is serious when it comes to her classes, even she is not interested at times she listens to everything.

"See you guys later," Julie said standing up from her seat with her bag.

"You are going somewhere?" Oslo asked.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Somewhere."

"I will text you in the night," Fiona said.

"Yup."

Julie left the class, she needs to go out and think about her assignments. She needs to make a plan of what she gonna do about her assignments. She cannot ignore her assignments when the deadlines are nearing.

It's been a month since she has attended the final match tournament and met Lexon. A month that she learned about Blake's best friend Ace. 

When she was with Blake, she found Ace cute with his buzz cut now his head is full of curly hair. He was chubby and cute for Julie but right now he is fit and hot, Julie doesn't exactly find him her type or attractive.

Julie went to block seven where she usually goes to finish her small assignments. The block is kind of abandoned when the library got shifted to the new block.

*

Julie placed her pencil down, she licked her lips picking the chocolate muffin that she has ordered. She took a bite of it and hummed liking the taste of it.

She is the regular cafe she comes to with Fiona and Bodhi. She is making a rough draft of the assignment she is going to work on.

Ace tapped his finger on the steering wheel as he sat in his car in the parking lot of the cafe where Julie goes. He is contemplating if he should go and say hi to her or not.

He overheard Zeke and Carl's conversation that Julie is in a cafe near her university working on her assignments. Ace couldn't sit back as he felt the need to drive to the cafe to see her.

It's been a month since he last saw her. Lexon has shifted to New York, he is staying in the team house as he became the manager of the boys.

He is training them, taking care of them and also handling all the social media accounts of the team. Lexon has given Ace Blake's email ID and password but Ace is not ready to open and read the emails that Blake has sent him.

"Let's just go and say hi," he told himself before opening the car door. He got out of the car, locked the car and started walking towards the cafe.

Julie sipped her coffee with frowned brows as she looked at the artbook. She did some simple portraits but she isn't okay with it.

"Won't be getting A+ if I do this," Julie spoke with herself. She fliped the page and opened a new page.

Ace walked in timidly looking around for Julie. He is a bit nervous but excited to see her. He walked further inside when he didn't see her at her usual place.

He went to the outdoor sitting area as the indoor is packed. He stopped walking when he saw Julie sitting in the middle looking down at something on the table. 

He took a moment observing Julie, her hair is up in a messy bun, she is wearing an ash grey hoodie and eating something that looks like a cupcake.

She has changed a lot, he went through the pictures of hers with Blake. Lexon has the pictures with him, when he looked at those pictures he wasn't able to look away.

"Eww..." Julie said as the chocolate syrup fell on her hoodie. She picked the tissue paper and whipped the syrup.

"Excuse me, sir." Ace snapped out of his trance and started walking towards Julie.

He stopped at the table, "Hi, Julie."

Julie looked up when she heard her name. She blinked her eyes in surprise when she saw Ace standing over there. She didn't expect to see him or anyone.

"Hey, Ace," she said leaning back in her seat to look at him properly.

"Can I seat here?" Ace asked.

"No, you can't," Julie said blankly.

Ace blinked his eyes and stood there awkwardly not knowing what to say. They stared at each other before Julie laughed shaking her head.

"You can sit, Ace. The seat is empty, I was pulling your leg," Julie said.

Ace nodded his head pulling the chair, he took the seat. "Have it," Julie said pushing the plate towards Ace.

"It's fine."

"Shh... Have one."

Ace took the muffin from the plate. Julie didn't say anything but she is a bit surprised seeing Ace here.

"So whom you are meeting today?" Julie said taking a bite of her muffin.

"Hmm?"

"The last time you came here was to meet someone. Meeting anyone here?" 

Ace wanted to say that he is here to see her but that wouldn't sound good and she will conclude him as a stalker.

"No, I came here to have a coffee," Ace replied.

Julie rose her brow, "Why Kips Bay doesn't have any cafes?" 

Julie is having fun questioning Ace. She knew she is being a bit rude but it doesn't matter.

"It has but this cafe's coffee is good," Ace replied. 

"Why didn't you order your coffee then?" Julie asked placing her hands on the table. A while ago she got a call from Zeke and she told him that she is in the cafe. 

Julie has a feeling that Ace came over to meet her not for coffee but she isn't sure about it.

"I...I will go and get my coffee," Ace said standing up from his seat.

He didn't wait for Julie to say something. "She is not the Julia Blake has described her in the book. She is the total opposite and he made her a soft and gentle character in the book," Ace told himself.

He stood in the line as he thought of Julie. "She is strong, witty, controlling, curious and sarcastic..." Ace spoke to himself in the mind.

He returned back to the table with his coffee, took his seat watching Julie draw something on her art book.

"What are you doing?" Ace asked.

"Assignments man. I need to submit my assignments next week and I don't have any idea of what I'm gonna submit. Just making some options and drafts," Julie said not looking away from her book.

"Okay."

The next thirty minutes went with Ace watching Julie draw and Julie concentrating on her work. Ace didn't disturb Julie nor he has anything to talk with her. He stayed quiet watching her short fingers draw, he can say that Julie is talented and randomly draws what comes to her mind.

"Hmm," Julie said placing her pencil down. 

"So?" she said rolling her hands.

"Nothing," Ace replied. Julie looked at Ace and suddenly a question snapped in her mind.

"I have a question for you," Julie with so much interest. 

Ace raised his brow looking at her. "okay, you can ask."

"Are you an artist as Blake told me?" Julie asked with so much curiosity.

Ace didn't know if he should tell her or not. Only the closed ones know about his art and Julie is not close.

"No, I'm not an artist," Ace replied. 

A small smile played on Julie's lips. Ace watched the smile, he wants to know what's going on in her mind.

"Haha, okay." Julie picked her muffin and started eating. She knew that Ace is lying, she doesn't know if he is an artist or not but she is sure that he knew fine art.

"How did you change a lot? You were so chubby back then when I saw you in the pictures," Julie said.

"Had to lose weight and maintain a healthy body," Ace replied interwinig his fingers together.  

Ace watched as Julie checked him out nodding her head slowly. "You are fit and healthy right now. All muscles... No baby fat..." Julie said.

Ace gulped down the lump. "Even you were chubby when I saw you in the pictures."

"Yup, need to maintain a healthy fit if I don't have to fall sick. Now I exercise regularly," Julie said.

"Fall sick? You fell sick because of your weight?" Ace asked.

"Haha, kind of. When the accident happened I gained more weight and my leg wasn't able to handle my weight. So yeah had to lose and I'm happy that I did," Julie said closing her art book.